Alleged airport intruder held on $1 million bail

The man who allegedly drove his Jeep through a fence and onto the airfield at Philadelphia International Airport was arraigned on local charges Monday and ordered to be held on $1 million bail.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's office said Kenneth Richard Mazik, 24, of Chadds Ford, was charged on Monday with DUI, simple assault, aggravated assault, resisting arrest and other charges - not only for the incident at the airport, but for also allegedly assaulting officers during his arrest.

D.A. Seth Williams says Mazik's next court appearance is scheduled for March 12th.

Mazik has also been federally charged for disrupting the services of Philadelphia International Airport and, in so doing, endangering the safety at that airport.

Mazik was charged on the state level with Driving Under the Influence, Recklessly Endangering another Person, Resisting Arrest and related offenses.

If convicted, Mazik faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The incident happened just after 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

That statement alleges that Mazik crashed his black Jeep Grand Cherokee through a locked gate at Gate 25 near Hog Island Road at the west end of the airport - as a plane was approaching for a landing.

Authorities say that after entering the airfield, Mazik turned onto runway 9R, the same runway that incoming aircraft was approaching.

Witnesses told Action News on Thursday that Mazik was parked outside the gate apparently waiting for one of the planes to come in for a landing. As an incoming plane approached he then allegedly accelerated - blasting through the gate and onto airport property.